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I've been pretty out-spoken towards the skewed IDFG harvest reports that many of us base our vacations upon, travel hundreds of miles, and spend countless $$$. I've got my share of critics out there, so I thought I throw a small example out there, besides my story of sportsmen catching hundreds of fish during a week of un-fishable flows on the Little Salmon River a couple seasons back.
I realize that each Harvest Report states that it's an "estimate", but our harvest share, and season lengths, depend upon these "harvest" numbers. Guys who love the So. Fork, and really watch that fishery, are continually upset at the numbers reported on that River.
As of Sunday, June 8th, the Clearwater Region reports that there have been 1,324 adult chinook harvested in the Little River. The number recited to me by a phone call to the Dept, and the reporting by the Rapid River hatchery all week, states that the harvest number of adults stands at 1,461 through the 8th. Now this morning, the RR hatchery recording is touting a harvest of 1,504 adults through last Sunday.
So which "estimate" do we believe? I'll bet I know which number they'll use to say that the sportfishermen have reached our harvest quota, and close our season....
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I won't get in to a bunch of details but I had a lengthy discussion with IFG on Tuesday about fish counts. I asked how it was done and if they took into consideration people and fish they didn't get around to checking. I was told the formula for figuring their fish counts. Needless to say I wasn't impressed with how they do it and told them that I thought it was not an accurate way to account for these fish....... one of the biologists replied with "I agree."
Even they know they are screwing it up.
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My buddies and I were fishing near Greer a few weeks ago and the fishing was hot. The one day we had a fish checker come by three times during the day. Every time he would leave a fish would be caught, the fisherman would pack up and leave and he would miss that fish being totaled. I would guess on that day alone, eight fish came out of that hole that were never counted on their counts. They are spread to thin...and in reality is their really a reliable solution to get accurate counts? Every time I land one of those beautiful fish I count it a real privilege to live in a state the gives us this opportunity. If somebody has a better solution I'm all ears. In the mean time we have a tiny little window to enjoy this past time and me personally...it takes some of the joy out of it trying to point fingers because I think there is plenty of blame to go all around for such little seasons, from the guys sitting in the offices in the big fancy chairs, to the fisherman who catches his limit for the day then changes his clothes and goes and fishes somewhere else. The system is flawed, they know it, we know it, but what to do?????????
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...and now IDFG is reporting on their "hatchery returns" page that the Rapid River hatchery has trapped 501 adults through the 12th. Their recorded message touted 3x that number as of Sunday, the 8th...sheesh
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I know what you are saying Taz. I don't like to complain either. I try to avoid it at all costs. But I have to side with the first two posts. When I got that email last Tuesday, it took every fiber of my being not to reply yelling and screaming calling them red-faced liars.
I was in Riggins last weekend, and I received a lot of reliable reports throughout the week prior. And although there was a hole that fished pretty hot for 3-4 days, I can tell you that there is no way either of those totals have been harvested by this point. Absolutely no way possible. Total BS. Complete garbage.
I could get more accurate harvest estimates watching Harry Potter in my basement in Smithfield, UT, and eating a big giant bowl of Count Chocula.
I am pretty proud of the Dept for a lot of reasons, but this is a huge huge black mark on their resume, and completely negates everything they say they are trying to do.
Big topic. More than I want to type on my phone.
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